Roma defender Evan Ndicka withdrawn in warm-up after adductor problem

Roma suffered a late injury setback before their Serie A meeting with Lecce after Evan Ndicka was forced to withdraw from the starting line-up during the warm-up.

The Ivory Coast international had been selected at the centre of Gian Piero Gasperini’s back three alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso, but reported discomfort in his right adductor only minutes before kick-off at the Via del Mare.

Ndicka immediately indicated that he was unable to start the match and returned to the dressing room, prompting Gasperini to bring Daniele Ghilardi into the XI.

There is not yet a confirmed diagnosis or recovery timetable.

Sky Sport reports that Ndicka felt the adductor tighten during the warm-up, with Roma choosing not to take any further risk once the defender reported the problem.

The timing makes the setback particularly frustrating for Gasperini.

Ndicka had been included normally in Roma’s travelling squad and was named in the original starting line-up, meaning there had been no public indication before the warm-up that his availability was in doubt.

His withdrawal therefore forced Roma to alter the centre of their defensive structure with virtually no preparation time.

Ghilardi moved directly into the central role.

That is not a minor adjustment in Gasperini’s system.

The central defender in a three-man back line is responsible not only for protecting the penalty area but also for managing the space behind an aggressive defensive line and providing a reliable first passing option when Roma build from the back.

Ndicka’s physical range has made him particularly valuable in those situations.

His ability to defend large spaces allows the defenders either side of him to be more assertive when stepping forward, while his left-footed distribution also gives Roma another route through the first line of opposition pressure.

Ghilardi now receives an unexpected opportunity to perform that function in a competitive environment.

The 23-year-old had been among the defensive options available to Gasperini but was not initially selected to start in Lecce.

Being introduced before the opening whistle is considerably different from entering later in a match.

There is no established game state to read and no gradual introduction into the contest. He must immediately reproduce the relationships Roma had prepared around Ndicka during the week.

The broader concern will depend entirely on the medical assessment that follows.

An adductor problem can range from minor tightness to a muscular injury requiring a more substantial absence, and there is currently insufficient evidence to place Ndicka in either category.

Roma have not announced that he will miss their next Serie A fixture and no reliable recovery estimate has yet been established.

That distinction matters.

For now, the confirmed development is limited but significant: Ndicka felt a problem in his right adductor during the warm-up, Roma withdrew him as a precaution rather than risk aggravating it, and Ghilardi was promoted into the starting XI.

Further examinations will determine whether the episode amounts to a short-term interruption or a more serious problem for Gasperini’s defence.

Until those tests are completed, any projected return date would be premature.